i was going to make some spinach pesto. i bought some fresh spinach in sharm el sheikh last thursday and needed to use it. so i was going to make some to freeze to have on hand when i got a PHONE CALL. my phone actually rang! a girl i had met last week and is a diver invited me to her house to make the pesto since she had a blender...score.
we decided to ride bikes and her friend had an extra one. we went to his house to borrow it and was invited in for a brewskie. or two...then another bro showed up with a flat of beer....two more people...two more....and A DUCK IN THE OVEN. say what?! next thing i know i'm surrounded by all GERMANS FROM THE EAST! duck...wine....braised red cabbage and boiled potatoes with gravy. doesn't get much eastern german than that! it is so amazing to me to think of my grandfather and my great uncles fighting in a war they could NEVER imagine would bond their granddaughter with "the enemy".
it was so lovely to enjoy a home cooked meal! roasted duck! they are all divers and i felt a bit left out since i know nothing about diving. they all kind of look at me blankly like "then why are you HERE?"
i'm figuring that one out.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
some interesting thoughts...
or maybe not so interesting depends on who is reading.
so last night i watched CNN for the first time in a LOOONG time. it is interesting to me the way they portray what is happening in Rafa and El Arish Egypt. they make it sound like it is on the brink of the 3rd world war. when really it is a case of SUPPRESSED people who have been cut off from ANY AND ALL supplies...foood...waaater...EVERYTHING...and have fled to Arish to eat and gather supplies. is it not the right of man...of EVERY human, to have free access to the necessary things in life? WATER...FOOD?
a bunch of people from Dahab have gone to Arish to sell cigarettes because they are worth 1,000 USD right now to a Palestinian. and i'm talking about shit cigarettes too. like the WORST.
why should they be punished? what EXACTLY have they done?
regardless, it isn't close to Dahab and i am completely safe. but they make it sound like the ENTIRE area is full of angry arab men. when in reality...in ACTUALITY 60 percent of the population can't read or write...they don't read the news. they are living their little lives out here on the red sea. muslims are very peaceful people and it truly is unfortunate that we don't get to view THEIR life. real life. all we see is destruction...anger....hate. it is such a drop in the landscape of all of ARABIA.
i don't really know what i'm ranting about.
yesterday i had the pleasure of having lunch with the PALACE MANAGER for King Abdullah of Jordan. she is an interesting character and had lots of very solid advice. JUST DO IT! stop thinking so much. you never know WHAT will happen.
p.s. I GOT THE JOB. just waiting to sign in BLACK INK on the dotted line. yessur. i'm getting back home. i'll be seeing you. maybe not soon. but soon enough. trust.
so last night i watched CNN for the first time in a LOOONG time. it is interesting to me the way they portray what is happening in Rafa and El Arish Egypt. they make it sound like it is on the brink of the 3rd world war. when really it is a case of SUPPRESSED people who have been cut off from ANY AND ALL supplies...foood...waaater...EVERYTHING...and have fled to Arish to eat and gather supplies. is it not the right of man...of EVERY human, to have free access to the necessary things in life? WATER...FOOD?
a bunch of people from Dahab have gone to Arish to sell cigarettes because they are worth 1,000 USD right now to a Palestinian. and i'm talking about shit cigarettes too. like the WORST.
why should they be punished? what EXACTLY have they done?
regardless, it isn't close to Dahab and i am completely safe. but they make it sound like the ENTIRE area is full of angry arab men. when in reality...in ACTUALITY 60 percent of the population can't read or write...they don't read the news. they are living their little lives out here on the red sea. muslims are very peaceful people and it truly is unfortunate that we don't get to view THEIR life. real life. all we see is destruction...anger....hate. it is such a drop in the landscape of all of ARABIA.
i don't really know what i'm ranting about.
yesterday i had the pleasure of having lunch with the PALACE MANAGER for King Abdullah of Jordan. she is an interesting character and had lots of very solid advice. JUST DO IT! stop thinking so much. you never know WHAT will happen.
p.s. I GOT THE JOB. just waiting to sign in BLACK INK on the dotted line. yessur. i'm getting back home. i'll be seeing you. maybe not soon. but soon enough. trust.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
a good day
today...
1. i sat in the sun in wadi gunay = glorious
2. i drank an ICE cold fresh squeezed glass of orange juice (oranges from syria...delicious)
3. i ate pizza at el dorado---a delicious italian pizza with grilled zucchini made by italians
it's the simple things.
1. i sat in the sun in wadi gunay = glorious
2. i drank an ICE cold fresh squeezed glass of orange juice (oranges from syria...delicious)
3. i ate pizza at el dorado---a delicious italian pizza with grilled zucchini made by italians
it's the simple things.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
rain rain...go away
i mean STAY! Last night it rained ALL NIGHT. quite amazing when you think that this place MAYBE sees rain once A YEAR! the older bedouin here say that it really hasn't rained for 10 years.
so the other night...and this is a bit crude...but it is a FINE example of how many different cultural exchanges i experience. so the general manager of the 5 star hotel that i have been interviewing for is SWISS (GABY)...and her husband is SWISS(ANDY). he has worked alot in America, namely Texas, building hotels and ranches etc. so she invited me to dinner at her hotel in an attempt to feed me. i've lost a considerable amount of weight...not that i'm complaining...i just don't eat too much anymore. ANYWAY, there is another SWISS (ROMAN PROBST) gentleman there. ALL of the people i am seated with speak 5 languages. the swiss gentleman speaks nearly 10 and owns a translation company that translates international patents and various things like that. he is brilliant. so here i am little american girl sitting amongst TRUELY accomplished people...when the SWISS gentleman hit my foot under the table. i jokingly said "mr. probst...are you trying to play footsies with me?" the table WENT DEAD SILENT. ALL EYES ON ME AGHAST!!
"what?", i said.
"my darling katie, i'm not exactly sure you meant to say that", gaby said
"what? playing footsies?", i repeated
LAUGHTER ALL AROUND.
"no, my dear, not too loud" , said andy
"what does footsies mean? what is wrong with saying footsies" i replied
"who is going to tell her...not until AT LEAST TWO GLASSES OF WINE" gaby said
"it is THAT bad?" i said
"well, she has to know...Katie, my dear, footsies in our language means PUSSY." andy said.
i nearly fell out of the chair!! we all died laughing.
cultural exchange...and NO...MR. PROBST WAS NOT to play FOOTSIES with me!! hahahahah. hilarious.
so the other night...and this is a bit crude...but it is a FINE example of how many different cultural exchanges i experience. so the general manager of the 5 star hotel that i have been interviewing for is SWISS (GABY)...and her husband is SWISS(ANDY). he has worked alot in America, namely Texas, building hotels and ranches etc. so she invited me to dinner at her hotel in an attempt to feed me. i've lost a considerable amount of weight...not that i'm complaining...i just don't eat too much anymore. ANYWAY, there is another SWISS (ROMAN PROBST) gentleman there. ALL of the people i am seated with speak 5 languages. the swiss gentleman speaks nearly 10 and owns a translation company that translates international patents and various things like that. he is brilliant. so here i am little american girl sitting amongst TRUELY accomplished people...when the SWISS gentleman hit my foot under the table. i jokingly said "mr. probst...are you trying to play footsies with me?" the table WENT DEAD SILENT. ALL EYES ON ME AGHAST!!
"what?", i said.
"my darling katie, i'm not exactly sure you meant to say that", gaby said
"what? playing footsies?", i repeated
LAUGHTER ALL AROUND.
"no, my dear, not too loud" , said andy
"what does footsies mean? what is wrong with saying footsies" i replied
"who is going to tell her...not until AT LEAST TWO GLASSES OF WINE" gaby said
"it is THAT bad?" i said
"well, she has to know...Katie, my dear, footsies in our language means PUSSY." andy said.
i nearly fell out of the chair!! we all died laughing.
cultural exchange...and NO...MR. PROBST WAS NOT to play FOOTSIES with me!! hahahahah. hilarious.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
6 months
well, i am embarking on my 6 month anniversary. sometimes it is so difficult to live here i can't stand it. it has been an interesting journey into complete surrender and trust of SELF. i am blessed to have this time to really organize myself and thoughts.
however, sometimes i really miss home. i miss certainty. i have been sick for about 2 weeks now with some kind of stomach bug. or maybe i should say...WORM...ewww. GNAR GNAR. simple things like health...a comfortable bed...an ICE cold drink...an enjoyable MEAL. you really shouldn't eat out at restaurants here. the egyptian way is FILTH. complete and utter FILTH. they live in filth. work in filth. and THEY DON'T CARE. malish.
however, one of the doctors here is an AMERICAN born egyptian that studied at DUKE UNIVERSITY and completed his residency in COLUMBIA, SC. how wonderful!! it was nice to speak with someone who had actually been OUTSIDE of egypt and knows it's better.
i've been having a real problem with the food here. it is not a culinary rich area. it is desert and the energy here is based more on SURVIVAL not pleasure. it makes a really BIG difference.
i have been interviewing with a new hotel here since OCTOBER, it would be a DREAM job. i find out for certain on 2.1.07. inshallah i get it. INSHALLAH...INSHALLAH...INSHALLAH.
last week i attended a surfer party that was a BLAST. met some really interesting people from all over the world. that is one of my favorite things about living here. that and the goats. i LOVE the goats.
my bedouin friends are talking about taking me to a place in the desert called Serabit Al Kherain. It is an abandoned Turquoise mine from the Pharonic Era. The egyptian government doesn't have the money to maintain it. however if you walk around the area you can find turquoise fairly easy. the desert is always...ALWAYS nice. this area is so ancient. it's amazing.
i've been having a real problem eating but i am getting my appetite back. i am making myself eat. tuna with rice...cheese and crackers. it's just that all the food here is a variation of WHITE. eggs, rice, yogurt, hummus...fuul...bread...white...white...white!! i'm dying for some brussel sprouts, cabbage, CORN!!
more later...off to eat some white food.
however, sometimes i really miss home. i miss certainty. i have been sick for about 2 weeks now with some kind of stomach bug. or maybe i should say...WORM...ewww. GNAR GNAR. simple things like health...a comfortable bed...an ICE cold drink...an enjoyable MEAL. you really shouldn't eat out at restaurants here. the egyptian way is FILTH. complete and utter FILTH. they live in filth. work in filth. and THEY DON'T CARE. malish.
however, one of the doctors here is an AMERICAN born egyptian that studied at DUKE UNIVERSITY and completed his residency in COLUMBIA, SC. how wonderful!! it was nice to speak with someone who had actually been OUTSIDE of egypt and knows it's better.
i've been having a real problem with the food here. it is not a culinary rich area. it is desert and the energy here is based more on SURVIVAL not pleasure. it makes a really BIG difference.
i have been interviewing with a new hotel here since OCTOBER, it would be a DREAM job. i find out for certain on 2.1.07. inshallah i get it. INSHALLAH...INSHALLAH...INSHALLAH.
last week i attended a surfer party that was a BLAST. met some really interesting people from all over the world. that is one of my favorite things about living here. that and the goats. i LOVE the goats.
my bedouin friends are talking about taking me to a place in the desert called Serabit Al Kherain. It is an abandoned Turquoise mine from the Pharonic Era. The egyptian government doesn't have the money to maintain it. however if you walk around the area you can find turquoise fairly easy. the desert is always...ALWAYS nice. this area is so ancient. it's amazing.
i've been having a real problem eating but i am getting my appetite back. i am making myself eat. tuna with rice...cheese and crackers. it's just that all the food here is a variation of WHITE. eggs, rice, yogurt, hummus...fuul...bread...white...white...white!! i'm dying for some brussel sprouts, cabbage, CORN!!
more later...off to eat some white food.
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